Midway, DEQ work to clean up historic gas leak
Eleven drinking water wells within 1,000 feet of the site all tested free of contamination, according to a July report.
Midway Grocery east of Floyd is cleaning up a decades-old gasoline leak beneath its fuel island after investigators found contamination that could potentially reach nearby drinking-water wells.
So far, none of the wells has been contaminated.
Liquid gasoline is floating on top of the groundwater table, with petroleum-contaminated soil and vapors trapped underground. Investigators believe the contamination was caused by one or more releases that occurred decades ago.
The petroleum poses a risk to human health and the environment, according to a site analysis prepared by Greene Environmental Services of Roanoke on July 27.
A contractor hired to replace the dispensing equipment at the store at 2600 Floyd Highway South discovered the leak in routine soil samples taken in January 2024 and reported it to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Since then, a team led by Greene Environmental performed extensive analysis and expects to propose a cleanup plan in early November.
Featuring jewelry by Pat Sharkey, cool rocks & gem specimens, and select rock/ gem jewelry and art from around the earth.
203 S. Locust St. Suite L
in The Station
540-230-7955
earthdancejewelrygems@gmail.com
A gray utility trailer bearing the name of the environmental firm recently parked in front of the store, connected to a generator, for a two-week test of a technology called dual-phase extraction. If effective, the contractor could propose installing a semi-permanent extraction system to run as long as needed to remove a majority of the contaminant.
Jay Patel, who owns Midway Grocery through a limited liability company called AVGV LLC, could not be reached for comment.
In August, after reviewing Greene Environmental’s July report, Donald Smith, a DEQ remediation geologist, asked Patel to submit a corrective action plan and cost estimate by Nov. 10. The letter and the site characterization report were released to Floyd Times by the DEQ.
Trevilian Greene, owner of Greene Environmental Services, said Patel is cooperating with the DEQ.
Patel and AVGV “are handling this the proper way,” Greene said.
Bobby Flinchum, who lives across the street from Midway Grocery, said inspectors have tested his water.
“That’s my biggest concern, it getting in the water,” he said.
Eleven drinking water wells within 1,000 feet of the site all tested free of contamination, according to the July report.
From custom homes and renovations to decks and additions, Esensten Construction delivers dependable craftsmanship across Floyd and the surrounding areas. Locally owned, Class A licensed, and built on integrity—every project is done right, start to finish. Call today to discuss your project.
540-232-9534
In addition, the underground fuel tanks that the store uses today tested sound in 2025, the report said.
The store previously had another group of tanks and tank infrastructure which were pulled out in 1990 and are suspected sources of leakage. Greene’s firm has mapped an underground plume of contamination about 25 feet wide and 180 feet long angling west-southwest from the fuel island. Officials don’t know the total volume released or exactly when or how the releases occurred, Greene said.
Robert Howard, the DEQ’s petroleum program manager, called the incident significant but relatively commonplace.
“Underground storage systems just tend to leak sometimes,” he said. “It’s a steel item in the ground, it’s built by humans and it's prone to failure like any mechanical system.”
To remove the contamination, crews are considering installing an extraction system on the property, hooked to electricity to avoid using a generator and placed away from the pumps and driveway. Like a giant shop vacuum, it would suction petroleum in liquid or gas form up through monitoring wells and into an enclosure.
Here at the Bread Basket we are here for all your baked goods for the Holiday season: Pies, Sweet Bread, Cakes, Cookies and Sourdough Bread, Trays of Meat & Cheese, Cookies, and Sandwiches are prepared fresh made-to-order for each party. Bring this Ad in for a free loaf of bread for each 2 lb of deli products you buy. Call 540-745-5382 to place specials and orders-to-go.
The technology to restore the site to pre-leak condition doesn’t exist, Howard said. The goal of the cleanup at Midway will be to remove a majority of the contamination — enough, Howard said, to keep any remaining contamination from posing a threat to humans or the environment.
AVGV is eligible for financial assistance from a state fund established to reimburse fuel storage tank owners for environmental costs. The Virginia Petroleum Storage Tank Fund collects a percentage of petroleum sales and pays up to $1 million per incident.
The cleanup at Midway won’t cost that much, but a final estimate was not available. Patel will owe a deductible of between $5,000 and $50,000 toward project costs, Howard said.
